NMN IS AN INGREDIENT THAT HAS COME INTO THE LIMELIGHT AS A PROMISING REJUVENATING AND ANTI-AGING INGREDIENT. RECENTLY, MANY SUPPLEMENTS AND COSMETICS CONTAINING NMN AS A MAIN INGREDIENT ARE ON THE MARKET, AND MANY PEOPLE MAY BE INTERESTED IN THESE PRODUCTS.
INSEPARABLE FROM THIS NMN IS A SUBSTANCE CALLED "NAD+," AND IN ORDER TO UNDERSTAND THE ANTI-AGING EFFECTS OF NMN, WE MUST PROPERLY UNDERSTAND THE RELATIONSHIP AND DIFFERENCES BETWEEN NMN AND NAD+.
IN THIS ARTICLE, WE WILL EXPLAIN THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN NMN AND NAD+ AND THEIR ANTI-AGING MECHANISM, AS WELL AS THE EFFECTS OF NMN AND WAYS TO INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF NMN AND NAD+ IN THE BODY, WHICH HAVE BEEN REVEALED IN NUMEROUS STUDIES.
1. WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN NMN AND NAD+?
THE OFFICIAL NAME FOR NMN IS "NICOTINAMIDE MONONUCLEOTIDE" AND THE OFFICIAL NAME FOR NAD+ IS "NICOTINAMIDE ADENINE DINUCLEOTIDE". ALTHOUGH THE NAMES OF BOTH ARE VERY SIMILAR, THEIR FUNCTIONS ARE DIFFERENT. LET'S TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT THE DIFFERENCES AND ROLES OF EACH BELOW.
1-1. NMN IS A COMPONENT THAT IS CONVERTED TO NAD+.
NMN IS A COMPONENT FOUND IN THE CELLS OF ALL LIVING ORGANISMS. IT IS PRODUCED IN VIVO FROM VITAMIN B3 (NIACIN), BUT ITS PRODUCTION DECREASES WITH AGE.
A DECREASE IN THE AMOUNT OF NMN IN THE BODY IS THOUGHT TO BE ONE OF THE CAUSES OF THE ONSET OF AGING AND THE PROGRESSIVE DECLINE OF COGNITIVE AND PHYSICAL FUNCTIONS.
THUS, NMN IS A COMPONENT RELATED TO AGING CHANGES, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, NMN IS A PRECURSOR OF NAD+.
NMN IS CONVERTED TO NAD+, WHICH IS CLOSELY ASSOCIATED WITH ENERGY PRODUCTION AND ANTI-AGING.
NAD+ ALSO DECREASES WITH AGE, BUT EVEN IF NAD+ ITSELF IS INGESTED, ITS MOLECULAR WEIGHT IS TOO LARGE TO PASS THROUGH CELL MEMBRANES AND THUS DOES NOT LEAD TO AN INCREASE IN THE AMOUNT OF NAD+ IN THE BODY. NMN, A PRECURSOR OF NAD+, PLAYS AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN THIS PROCESS.
UNLIKE NAD+, NMN IS EASILY ABSORBED INTO THE BODY AND IS QUICKLY CONVERTED TO NAD+. IN OTHER WORDS, TAKING NMN IS CLOSELY RELATED TO INCREASING THE AMOUNT OF NAD+ IN THE BODY.
1-2. NAD+ IS AN ESSENTIAL COMPONENT FOR LIFE SUPPORT AND AGING PREVENTION
NAD+ IS AN ESSENTIAL COENZYME FOR ENERGY PRODUCTION IN MITOCHONDRIA; WITHOUT NAD+, ENERGY CANNOT BE PRODUCED AND ORGANISMS CANNOT SUSTAIN LIFE.
IN ADDITION, AS NAD+ DECREASES WITH AGE, OXYGEN UTILIZATION ALSO DECREASES, LEADING TO ENERGY DEFICIENCY.
MORE RECENTLY, IT HAS BEEN DISCOVERED THAT NAD+ IS ALSO INVOLVED IN THE ACTIVATION OF THE SIRTUIN GENE (LONGEVITY GENE), WHICH REGULATES AGING.
HUMANS HAVE SEVEN TYPES OF SIRTUIN GENES, AND NAD+ IS SAID TO ACTIVATE ALL OF THEM.
2. RESEARCH ON THE ANTI-AGING EFFECTS OF NMN AND NAD+.
THE REJUVENATING AND ANTI-AGING EFFECTS OF NMN AND NAD+ HAVE BEEN DEMONSTRATED IN NUMEROUS STUDIES. HERE ARE SOME OF THE MOST INTERESTING ONES.
2-1. STUDIES REPORTING ANTI-AGING PHENOMENA IN MICE AFTER INGESTION OF NMN
WHEN 5-MONTH-OLD MICE WERE FED NMN FOR ONE YEAR, EVEN AT 17 MONTHS OF AGE (EQUIVALENT TO HUMANS IN THEIR 60S), THEIR METABOLIC FUNCTIONS WERE MAINTAINED AND THEY DID NOT BECOME OBESE AND WERE HIGHLY ACTIVE.
Anti-aging effects were demonstrated in fat, muscle, and liver, including the suppression of genetic changes that occur with age.
IN ADDITION, GROUPS OF MICE THAT INGEST NMN TEND TO HAVE GREATER INSULIN SENSITIVITY THAN THOSE THAT DO NOT.
Other anti-aging effects have also been reported, such as the maintenance of retinal function and bone density, which tend to decline with aging, and the maintenance of immune cells.
2-2. PAPER REPORTING REJUVENATION OF AGED MICE BY NMN SUPPLEMENTATION
OLDER MICE (ABOUT 60-70 YEARS OLD IN HUMANS) AT 24 MONTHS OF AGE WERE TREATED WITH NMN, WHICH INCREASED INTRACELLULAR NAD+ LEVELS AND SHOWED IMPROVED PERFORMANCE ON COGNITIVE TASKS.
This is believed to be due to the increased cerebral blood flow and restoration of neurovascular function.
ADEQUATE SUPPLEMENTATION OF NMN MAY HAVE AN ANTI-AGING EFFECT BECAUSE IT PROMOTES NEUROVASCULAR REJUVENATION IN OLD MICE.
2-3. STUDIES REPORTING IMPROVEMENTS IN WALKING SPEED AND MUSCLE STRENGTH IN ELDERLY MEN WHO TOOK NMN.
In a study of men over 65 years of age in Japan, subjects were orally administered 250 mg of NMN per day for 12 weeks and showed a more than two-fold increase in the amount of NAD+ in their blood compared to the non-NMN group.
IN ADDITION, THE NMN-TREATED GROUP SHOWED IMPROVEMENTS IN WALKING SPEED AND GRIP STRENGTH, AND TESTS OF BALANCE AND LEG MUSCLE STRENGTH ALSO SHOWED NUMERICAL IMPROVEMENTS.
THESE RESULTS SUGGEST THAT CONTINUOUS INTAKE OF NMN MAY IMPROVE MUSCLE STRENGTH AND MOTOR FUNCTION IN THE ELDERLY.
2-4. STUDIES REPORTING IMPROVED PHYSICAL PERFORMANCE AND SLEEP QUALITY IN THE ELDERLY AFTER ADMINISTRATION OF NMN
In a study of men and women over 65 years of age in Japan, subjects were orally administered 250 mg of NMN per day in the morning or in the afternoon (after 6 p.m.) for 12 weeks, and the group that took NMN in the afternoon showed improvements in lower body muscle strength and sleep quality.
THESE RESULTS SUGGEST THAT NMN MAY PREVENT THE DECLINE OF PHYSICAL PERFORMANCE IN THE ELDERLY AND IMPROVE SLEEP QUALITY AND FATIGUE.
3. HOW TO INCREASE NMN AND NAD+ IN THE BODY
NAD+ HAS A LARGER MOLECULAR WEIGHT THAN NMN AND IS MORE DIFFICULT TO BE ABSORBED BY THE BODY. THEREFORE, TO INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF NAD+ IN THE BODY, IT IS MORE EFFICIENT TO TAKE NMN INTO THE BODY AND CONVERT IT TO NAD+.
FROM HERE, WE WILL EXPLAIN HOW TO INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF NMN AND NAD+ IN THE BODY TO PREVENT AGING, AND HOW TO SUPPLEMENT NMN WITH SUPPLEMENTS.
3-1. INCREASE NMN AND NAD+ THROUGH DIET AND EXERCISE
NMN, THE PRECURSOR OF NAD+, IS FOUND IN A VARIETY OF FOODS, INCLUDING EDAMAME, BROCCOLI, BEEF AND SHRIMP.
However, the amount of NMN in food is very small, and to obtain 100 mg of NMN, one must consume about 21 kg (about 33,000 grains) of edamame or 40 kg (about 2,000 bunches) of broccoli.
FURTHERMORE, NMN IS HEAT SENSITIVE, SO VEGETABLES AND OTHER FOODS MUST BE CONSUMED RAW. THEREFORE, IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF NMN IN THE BODY BY DIET ALONE.
IT HAS ALSO BEEN SUGGESTED THAT CONTROLLING THE AMOUNT OF FOOD CONSUMED MAY INCREASE NAD+ IN THE BODY. THIS IS BECAUSE FASTING INCREASES THE DEMAND FOR ENERGY PRODUCTION AND CONSEQUENTLY INCREASES THE PRODUCTION OF NAD+. HOWEVER, THIS METHOD IS NOT ACTIVELY RECOMMENDED BECAUSE IT MAY BE DETRIMENTAL TO HEALTH IF DONE POORLY.
OTHER STUDIES HAVE SHOWN THAT EXERCISE INCREASES NAD+ DUE TO AN INCREASE IN AN ENZYME CALLED NAMPT, WHICH IS NECESSARY FOR NAD+ SYNTHESIS.
3-2. SUPPLEMENT NMN WITH INTRAVENOUS INFUSION OR SUPPLEMENTS
IT IS DIFFICULT TO INCREASE NMN AND NAD+ THROUGH DIET AND EXERCISE, BUT SUPPLEMENTS ARE THE MAIN WAY TO EFFICIENTLY SUPPLY NMN.
ALTHOUGH THE INFUSION CAN BE RECEIVED AT MEDICAL INSTITUTIONS THAT DEAL WITH NMN (SINCE THERE IS NO RELIABLE CLINICAL TRIAL EVIDENCE AS OF OCTOBER 2022), IT SHOULD BE TAKEN ONLY AFTER YOU ARE SATISFIED WITH THE EXPLANATION OF THE ATTENDING PHYSICIAN AT THE MEDICAL INSTITUTION. IT IS SAID THAT THE EFFECTS OF IV INFUSION CAN BE FELT EVEN AFTER ONE SESSION, BUT MANY CLINICS RECOMMEND ONE TO SEVERAL SESSIONS PER MONTH IF YOU WISH TO MAINTAIN GOOD HEALTH, RECOVER FROM FATIGUE, OR HAVE ANTI-AGING EFFECTS.
Based on past reports, the ideal dosage for supplementation is 100-300 mg of NMN per day.
Note that in the mouse study, when replaced in humans, about 8 mg of NMN was administered per kg of body weight. A person weighing 60 kg would take 480 mg of NMN per day. Since it is a dietary supplement, human clinical trials are not mandatory as with pharmaceuticals, but clinical trials in Japan have shown that an intake of up to 500 mg is generally safe. In some cases, up to 1,000 mg may be safe for some individuals. Nevertheless, the manufacturer's recommended dosage should be taken while adhering to the manufacturer's recommendations.
4. Summary
NMN (NICOTINAMIDE MONONUCLEOTIDE) AND NAD+ (NICOTINAMIDE ADENINE DINUCLEOTIDE) ARE DIFFERENT COMPONENTS DESPITE THEIR SIMILAR NAMES.
NMN IS A PRECURSOR OF NAD+, AND NAD+ PLAYS AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN CELLULAR ENERGY PRODUCTION AND AGING PREVENTION.
RESEARCH ON THE ANTI-AGING EFFECTS OF NMN AND NAD+ HAS BEEN CONDUCTED EXTENSIVELY AND IS NOT LIMITED TO ANIMALS. NUMEROUS CLINICAL STUDIES HAVE ALSO BEEN CONDUCTED IN HUMANS, AND MANY OF THE RESULTS SUGGEST THAT NMN AND NAD+ HAVE ANTI-AGING EFFECTS.
METHODS TO INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF NMN AND NAD+ IN THE BODY INCLUDE DIETARY INTAKE, FASTING, AND EXERCISE, BUT NONE OF THESE METHODS ARE EFFICIENT.
TO GET THE REQUIRED AMOUNT OF NMN INTO THE BODY AND INCREASE NAD+ EFFICIENTLY, IT MAY BE ADVISABLE TO MAKE GOOD USE OF SUPPLEMENTS AND INTRAVENOUS INFUSIONS.
THE BODY'S PRODUCTION OF NAD+ TENDS TO DECLINE AFTER THE 20S. COMBINING SUPPLEMENTATION WITH NMN INTAKE AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE IF YOU FEEL IT IS NECESSARY MAY LEAD TO A HEALTHIER AND LONGER LIFE.
